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Offshore sourcing in Aluminum 6061-T6
Aluminum 6061-T6 is a proven choice for offshore sourcing: good strength-to-weight: 45 ksi (310 mpa) tensile at 0.098 lb/in³ (2.70 g/cm³). On a representative housing at 20,000 pieces it estimates at about $2.43 per part plus $15,428 tooling, with a lead time of 11–16 weeks.
- Per part
- $2.43
- Tooling
- $15,428
- Lead time
- 11–16 weeks
Price it in 6061-T6
Housing · Offshore sourcing
Order total $65,127
- Tooling
- $15,428
- one-time, spread over the order
- Piece price
- $2.43
- before setup + tooling
- Lead time
- 11–16 weeks
- to first production
Size
Drag a row to adjust · click to type
Length140140 mm
Width90.090.0 mm
Wall2.202.20 mm
Quantity
Price per part falls as volume rises
Exact quantity2000020000 pcs
Duty + tariff25.025.0 %
Material
Design checks pass
Open in builderBudgetary estimate for a representative part. Firm quotes come from principals after drawing review.
6061-T6 vs other offshore sourcing materials
The same housing at 20,000 pieces, priced in every material the process runs. PP is the lowest all-in cost.
| Material | Per part | All-in | Weight | Tensile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polypropylene (PP) | $0.39 | $1.22 | 66 g | 33 MPa |
| High-density polyethylene (HDPE) | $0.41 | $1.23 | 69 g | 26 MPa |
| ABS | $0.59 | $1.41 | 76 g | 43 MPa |
| Acrylic (PMMA) | $0.65 | $1.47 | 86 g | 70 MPa |
| Nylon 66 (PA66) | $0.74 | $1.56 | 83 g | 83 MPa |
| Polycarbonate (PC) | $0.75 | $1.57 | 87 g | 65 MPa |
| PC/ABS blend | $0.75 | $1.57 | 83 g | 55 MPa |
| Acetal (POM) | $0.75 | $1.57 | 102 g | 62 MPa |
| PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) | $0.78 | $1.60 | 95 g | 55 MPa |
| TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) | $0.78 | $1.60 | 72 g | 7 MPa |
| Nylon 66, 30% glass-filled (PA66-GF30) | $0.88 | $1.70 | 99 g | 190 MPa |
| EPDM rubber | $0.88 | $1.70 | 83 g | 12 MPa |
| Nitrile rubber (NBR) | $0.91 | $1.73 | 87 g | 14 MPa |
| Aluminum A380 (die cast) | $1.28 | $2.10 | 196 g | 324 MPa |
| Neoprene (CR) | $1.44 | $2.26 | 98 g | 14 MPa |
| Silicone rubber (VMQ) | $1.74 | $2.56 | 83 g | 8 MPa |
| Polyester 600D | $1.76 | $2.58 | 100 g | — |
| Steel 1008 cold-rolled (CRS) | $1.99 | $2.81 | 570 g | 330 MPa |
| Aluminum 6063-T5 | $2.00 | $2.82 | 196 g | 186 MPa |
| Steel A36 (structural) | $2.07 | $2.89 | 569 g | 450 MPa |
| Aluminum 5052-H32 | $2.13 | $2.95 | 194 g | 228 MPa |
| Aluminum 6061-T6 | $2.43 | $3.26 | 196 g | 310 MPa |
| Steel 1018 (cold drawn) | $2.75 | $3.58 | 570 g | 440 MPa |
| Steel 1045 (cold drawn) | $2.92 | $3.74 | 570 g | 625 MPa |
| Steel 12L14 (leaded free-machining) | $3.09 | $3.91 | 570 g | 540 MPa |
| Steel 4140 (annealed) | $3.59 | $4.41 | 569 g | 655 MPa |
| Zinc Zamak 3 | $3.61 | $4.43 | 478 g | 283 MPa |
| Cordura nylon 1000D | $3.70 | $4.52 | 83 g | — |
| Zinc Zamak 5 | $3.75 | $4.57 | 478 g | 331 MPa |
| Stainless steel 430 | $3.80 | $4.62 | 561 g | 483 MPa |
| Stainless steel 304 | $6.06 | $6.88 | 580 g | 505 MPa |
| Stainless steel 303 | $6.49 | $7.31 | 580 g | 620 MPa |
| Stainless steel 316 | $7.78 | $8.60 | 580 g | 580 MPa |
| Brass C360 (free-cutting) | $10.10 | $10.90 | 615 g | 400 MPa |
6061-T6 at a glance
- Tensile strength
- 310 MPa51th pct
- Yield strength
- 276 MPa50th pct
- Density
- 2.7 g/cm³47th pct
- Max service temp
- 150 °C55th pct
- Elongation
- 12 %22th pct
- Relative cost
- $$$$$
Bars are relative to the strongest, densest or hottest material in the SSG library. Percentile vs all 48 materials.
Strengths
- Good strength-to-weight: 45 ksi (310 MPa) tensile at 0.098 lb/in³ (2.70 g/cm³)
- Machines fast with good chip control and finishes to 32 µin Ra (0.8 µm)
- Weldable by TIG and MIG with 4043 or 5356 filler
- Anodizes cleanly in clear, black and dyed colors
- Stocked in bar, plate, sheet, tube and extruded shapes
Watch for
- As-welded strength drops to about 24 ksi (165 MPa) tensile in the heat-affected zone
- Cracks on tight bends in T6; allow an inside radius of 1.5–3× thickness or use 5052-H32
- Strength falls off above about 300 °F (150 °C)
- No true fatigue endurance limit; design cyclic parts to a stated cycle life
Offshore sourcing design rules
Move offshore only after first article approval of a stable revision
Freeze the design first
Include freight, duty, tariffs, brokerage, inspection, and 20–30% annual carrying cost
Compare total landed cost, not piece price
Plan about 4–8 weeks of safety stock beyond transit time
Hold safety stock
Expect 2–4 weeks of reduced output in late January to February
Plan around Lunar New Year
ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 with AQL 0 critical, 2.5 major, and 4.0 minor is common
Write inspection criteria down
Full GD&T, material spec (ASTM or UNS), finish spec, and packaging requirements
Put everything on the drawing
Questions
How much does offshore sourcing in 6061-T6 cost?
For a representative part (open housing 140 mm × 90 mm × 36 mm, 2.2 mm wall, 1° draft, 4 bosses, 2 ribs), SSG's estimator gives about $2.43 per part at 20,000 pieces, plus about $15,428 one-time tooling. All-in with tooling and setup that is $3.26 per part. It is budgetary; principals quote firm prices from your drawing.
Is 6061-T6 a good material for offshore sourcing?
It is when you need good strength-to-weight: 45 ksi (310 mpa) tensile at 0.098 lb/in³ (2.70 g/cm³) and machines fast with good chip control and finishes to 32 µin ra (0.8 µm). Watch for as-welded strength drops to about 24 ksi (165 mpa) tensile in the heat-affected zone. Of 34 materials run in offshore sourcing, it ranks 22 on all-in cost for the same part.
What finishes work on 6061-T6 offshore sourcing parts?
Common options are bead blasted, vibratory deburr (tumbling), anodize type ii (sulfuric), anodize type iii (hardcoat), chem film (chromate conversion), powder coat. The builder adds each finish's lot charge, per-part cost and days to the estimate.
Quote offshore sourcing in 6061-T6.
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